What we’re trying to say is… we’ve gained a few pounds, and we’re planning on gaining a few more.

So far, we’ve put up walls to create a separate work area as well as an area for private meetings, and painted and finished it’s interior.  But we still have a few projects left to complete, including creating a space in the front of our office to accommodate our retail division S.A.W., and changing up our color scheme in here with some [...]]]> Growth in a business is a great thing.  So is the ability to adapt and transform based on changing needs.  Often, we focus so intently on growing and transforming our clients’ businesses that we neglect the active and outward growth of our own.  In the past few weeks, however, we’ve been transforming our "look".  Literally. 

What we’re trying to say is… we’ve gained a few pounds, and we’re planning on gaining a few more.

So far, we’ve put up walls to create a separate work area as well as an area for private meetings, and painted and finished it’s interior.  But we still have a few projects left to complete, including creating a space in the front of our office to accommodate our retail division S.A.W., and changing up our color scheme in here with some new paint.

So if you come in for a meeting, don’t be alarmed by the lumber sitting atop a spare desk or the power tools huddled in the corner of the room.  It’s all a part of the process of adding to our office to transform it into a more effective space that will allow us to grow in new ways.  And we’re excited for that growth!

  But we didn’t stop with just their main online store. The latest and most [...]]]> The Restaurant Depot is one of the nation’s largest restaurant suppliers, with over 70 warehouse locations nationwide. But in order to truly compete in this modern digital age, you have to be represented online. That’s where the partnership between Durrani and The Restaurant Depot was launched. We’ve been with them from the beginning, designing and developing their first online storefront with MIVA Merchant version 4 and recently embarked on a design overhaul and major migration upgrade to MIVA Merchant 5.5. MIVA 5.5 provides online merchants with a ton of flexibility and expansion opportunity. The Restaurant Depot, online at TheRDStore.com, relies on Durrani to support their online store and product database of almost 10,000 products – one of the largest online restaurant equipment and supply retailers. 

 
But we didn’t stop with just their main online store. The latest and most exciting development with Restaurant Depot has been the creation of several prototype in-store kiosks, which feature a cloned version of their primary website and allow customers to easily search for available products both in store and online. This gives customers a much wider choice of equipment and supply items then just their local neighborhood warehouse can provide. If the Kiosk prototypes are successful, Restaurant Depot hopes to roll them out to most of their regional stores.  For us at Durrani, this project was a huge success for many reasons – one of which is that it demonstrates the strength of the MIVA Merchant e-commerce platform. Clients always ask us if MIVA is the right choice for their business and The RD Store is a great example that shows MIVA can keep up with the best of them and perform at an enterprise-level that will grow as big and as fast as your business.

In the Action Sports apparel industry, ASR is THE place to be, as it showcases products from over 700 brands in the action sports fashion and streetwear industry and promises to "ensure the growth of your customer base and keep [...]]]> With the launch of the new Durrani online retail division, S.A.W., we have had to take all of the advice we’ve given clients through the years about e-commerce and put it into practice in a very real way.  We always tell clients to stay in touch with their customer and their industry, and stay ahead of the curve when it comes to new trends, products, and techniques.  Since tradeshows are often a great way to do this, this weekend meant a trip to the Action Sports Retailer (ASR) show in downtown San Diego for the Durrani / S.A.W. team. 

In the Action Sports apparel industry, ASR is THE place to be, as it showcases products from over 700 brands in the action sports fashion and streetwear industry and promises to "ensure the growth of your customer base and keep your current customer satisfied."  It’s a place to check out new product lines, get a feel for the way the industry is trending, get some face-time in with the brands we already carry and forge relationships with those we’d like to carry.  Michaela McNamara, lead buyer for S.A.W., said,

"Meeting with others in the action sports retail community and networking are invaluable to our business.  The biannual ASR show is a great opportunity to see what products and trends will be a hit next season. It gives us a chance to forecast our purchases and determine the direction we’d like to take S.A.W." 

Some of the people and brands we were introduced to over the weekend include: Andre Sickinger with Filtrate Eyewear, an Australian sunglasses brand breaking into the US market; Ryan Farrelly, co-founder of Freeline, a company that invented and sells custom skates designed to give the feeling of skateboarding, snowboarding and surfing all in one; Malan Lai, owner of Laiph (pronounced Life), a Hawaiian brand that is dedicated to surfing, the ocean, and the outdoors. Their music, art and surfing influences are translated into their t-shirt, boardshorts and hoodie designs; and Ryan Davis with Spacecraft, an eco-friendly brand that specializes in handmade beanies that are knitted by local Indonesians in their villages.  These are some of the newer brands we’d like to incorporate into S.A.W.’s product line in the near future.  Check out S.A.W. online at www.skullsandwings.com

“Image is everything and online shoppers need to come as close to touching and feeling a product as possible. You need to overcome the obstacle of customers not being able to experience your product, like they can in a retail store. Take time to present your products in the best possible way with clear and vibrant images and accurate descriptions."

Joe McDonald, Managing Partner, Durrani Design

Click here to view the full newsletter and learn more about Practical Ecommerce.

Twitter 101 takes you on a guided tour from “What is Twitter?” to the lingo and best practices.

From Twitter 101:

Twitter is a communications platform that helps businesses and their customers do a number of useful things. As a business, you can use it to quickly share information with people interested in your company, gather real-time market intelligence and feedback, and build relationships with customers, partners and other people who care about your company. As an individual user, you can use Twitter to tell a company (or anyone else) that you’ve had a great–or disappointing–experience with their business, offer product ideas, and learn [...]]]> The team at Twitter has published a new online guide to help businesses wade through all of the chatter and confusion over how Twitter can be a useful resource for a business.

Twitter 101 takes you on a guided tour from “What is Twitter?” to the lingo and best practices.

From Twitter 101:

So what does Twitter do for businesses?

Twitter is a communications platform that helps businesses and their customers do a number of useful things. As a business, you can use it to quickly share information with people interested in your company, gather real-time market intelligence and feedback, and build relationships with customers, partners and other people who care about your company. As an individual user, you can use Twitter to tell a company (or anyone else) that you’ve had a great–or disappointing–experience with their business, offer product ideas, and learn about great offers.

Here at Durrani Design, we have many conversations with many clients about how to best implement a social media strategy for their company and we are always available to help in person to fill in the gaps where the online guides, such as Twitter 101, leave off. Many business owners and managers can be overwhelmed or even intimidated at the prospect of tackling social media but the key is to just start off slow with small manageable pieces. Don’t try to become the social media king or queen overnight. Setup your Twitter account or Facebook accounts and just build them over time. Take the time to make your online identity credible, trustworthy and personable. If you are constantly pushing marketing or sales pitches without engaging in the online community, your followers will become bored and disengaged about you and your business. You need to participate and contribute to the community at large.

I know it’s hard to find the time. We are all maxed out with busy schedules and floods of information on a daily basis, but a methodical and consistent approach to social media will eventually be a rewarding investment for any business. Just a post here and a tweet there is all you need to do to eventually become a fully fledged social media guru that even your 13 year old will be proud of. Remember to be patient; there are no get popular overnight gimmicks. Be yourself online and your customers will follow.

I always tell people, building a social media campaign for your business is much like giving someone who is in trouble CPR, you don’t always know what you’re doing, but doing something… doing anything, is better then doing nothing at all.

Click here to read the Twitter 101 Guide For Business.

ENCINITAS: Can’t Find Apparel You Want? Surf on Over to S.A.W.

Durrani Design has launched an online apparel division called SkullsandWings.com, dubbed S.A.W. The new operation sells boutique skate and surf brands that are hard to find on the shelves.

Durrani Design started in April 2007. Co-founder Joe McDonald says S.A.W. will address the gap in the market between what core retail stores will carry and emerging brands that are hard to find. The retailer has collected a lineup of local and edgy brand lines such as Raen sunglasses, Dekline Footwear, Ogio gear and Vestal watches, as well as green brands, including Elwood Clothing, Hippy Tree surf wear and MNKR Clothing.

“These [...]]]> Durrani Design and the launch of the new online apparel division, S.A.W. (at www.skullsandwings.com) was mentioned in the Regional Report section of the recent issue of the San Diego Business Journal.

ENCINITAS: Can’t Find Apparel You Want? Surf on Over to S.A.W.

Durrani Design has launched an online apparel division called SkullsandWings.com, dubbed S.A.W. The new operation sells boutique skate and surf brands that are hard to find on the shelves.

Durrani Design started in April 2007. Co-founder Joe McDonald says S.A.W. will address the gap in the market between what core retail stores will carry and emerging brands that are hard to find. The retailer has collected a lineup of local and edgy brand lines such as Raen sunglasses, Dekline Footwear, Ogio gear and Vestal watches, as well as green brands, including Elwood Clothing, Hippy Tree surf wear and MNKR Clothing.

“These days it’s getting harder and harder to separate the clothes from the lifestyle and the person,” said McDonald.

— Ned Randolph

Read more online at www.sdbj.com

In addition to website design, we often assist our clients with marketing and publicity throughout the year. When we work with a client, we become as knowledgeable and intimate with their products and services as possible, so naturally it becomes easy for us to promote and brag about them in an informed way when needed. Our staff can be called upon to draft press releases and send them out to media contacts and outlets nationwide.

We recently wrote and issued the following press release on behalf of EFADAR to [...]]]> Encinitas Foreign and Domestic Auto Repair (EFADAR), located right down the street from us in Encinitas, CA has been a Durrani Client since last summer. We recently re-designed and launched their website, converting an old constrained Flash site to a dynamic, graphic rich site where customers can make appointments instantly online.

In addition to website design, we often assist our clients with marketing and publicity throughout the year. When we work with a client, we become as knowledgeable and intimate with their products and services as possible, so naturally it becomes easy for us to promote and brag about them in an informed way when needed. Our staff can be called upon to draft press releases and send them out to media contacts and outlets nationwide.

We recently wrote and issued the following press release on behalf of EFADAR to announce their certification as one of the first environmentally “Green Stations” in California.

If you are in North County San Diego and need automotive repair services, EFADAR is your place to go.

Read the full press release below.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Julie Macaluso

Tel: (760) 632-0830

Email: service@efadar.com

“ENCINITAS’ FIRST GREEN STATION”

Encinitas Foreign and Domestic Auto Repair Receives New Environmental Status.

ENCINITAS, Calif. – May 12, 2009 – Encinitas Foreign and Domestic Auto Repair (EFADAR) has announced that they are now one of the first certified “Green Stations” in the State of California. The Department of Toxic Substances Control, in conjunction with the Bureau of Automotive Repair, awarded the certification on April 15, 2009. Since 1988, Encinitas Foreign and Domestic Auto Repair has been dedicated to the service of its customers, its community, and its planet.

In a time when consumers are demanding that businesses seek earth-friendly alternatives, EFADAR is maintaining its steady commitment to practices that are environmentally sound and financially sound. Proving that they always have their customers’ best interests at heart, they have found a way to make both possible. So what is the cost associated with maintaining a Green Station? “Zero,” says owner Julie Macaluso, “Although we have been recycling most common things for a long time, it just took a little more thought and a re-working of our processes to educate ourselves to recycle almost everything. Now it’s like clockwork.”

So much like clockwork, in fact, that EFADAR has done away with the dumpster for their facility. They simply use recycling bins and standard household trash cans. This is quite the feat for an auto repair facility their size. They may look small from the street, but don’t let their looks deceive you. They house 14 repair bays, 20 full-time employees, and 15,000 square feet. “All of us at EFADAR are committed to this program,” says Julie, “We know it’s an ongoing effort and we will continue to do our best. [Being environmentally responsible] has been in our Mission Statement since the early days.”

Just what does this new “Green” certification mean? The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), which regulates the use and disposal of hazardous waste products, has partnered with the Bureau of Automotive Repair (a part of California’s Department of Consumer Affairs) to promote its “Green Station Recognition Program.” Participation in the program is completely voluntary for automotive repair facilities, and in order to be recognized as a “Green Station” a facility must undergo a rigorous application process, including a number of inspections and an auditing of the environmental impact of the facility. It’s an incredible honor, especially since Encinitas Foreign & Domestic Auto Repair is one of the first and one of the few to receive this certificate in the state of California.

EFADAR isn’t new to recycling and being environmentally friendly, though. Far from it, they’ve been at this for awhile. In 2001, EFADAR received a Corporate Leadership Award from Solana Recyclers and was recognized by then-governor Gray Davis with a Certificate of Commendation for their commitment to excellence in recycling. They are a certified recycling center for oil, oil filters, batteries, anti-freeze, lead wheel weights, Freon, and other toxic substances. Beyond all that, EFADAR employs factory-certified hybrid technicians, so they can quickly, effectively, and efficiently service hybrid vehicles. Encinitas Foreign and Domestic Auto Repair is a “Green Station” through and through.

Encinitas Foreign and Domestic Auto Repair is a facility that is dedicated to 100% customer satisfaction, dedicated to being involved in the community, and dedicated to protecting the environment… a winning combination for everyone they serve! Encinitas Foreign and Domestic Auto Repair has also been approved by AAA, the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, and the BBB as an ethical and reputable business.

Encinitas Foreign and Domestic Auto Repair is located just off the Coast Highway 101 at the corner of 2nd & H Streets, and provides all types of vehicle maintenance and repair services. Learn more and book appointments online at www.RunCarRun.com.

###

For more information about this topic, please contact Encinitas Foreign and Domestic Auto Repair at (760) 632-0830, or email service@efadar.com

Perfect Fit USA is a new local personal training studio located in Carlsbad, CA. With their grand opening scheduled for May 2009, they are gearing up with a new website, new marketing materials and new promotional products.

The website is completely custom made from the design to the PHP programming. Our team designed the look and feel as well as all of the logos, artwork and branding. In addition to their websites, we has also created their entire business collateral package including business cards, brochures, mailers and even custom screen printed T-shirts (through our promotional tees division at www.teecompressed.com).

Along with the PerfectFitShop.com website, we are also in the process of designing several other online sites for them including an e-commerce storefront. Their [...]]]> Durrani Design is excited to announce the launch of the new website for Perfect Fit USA at www.perfectfitshop.com.

Perfect Fit USA is a new local personal training studio located in Carlsbad, CA. With their grand opening scheduled for May 2009, they are gearing up with a new website, new marketing materials and new promotional products.

The website is completely custom made from the design to the PHP programming. Our team designed the look and feel as well as all of the logos, artwork and branding. In addition to their websites, we has also created their entire business collateral package including business cards, brochures, mailers and even custom screen printed T-shirts (through our promotional tees division at www.teecompressed.com).

Along with the PerfectFitShop.com website, we are also in the process of designing several other online sites for them including an e-commerce storefront. Their future store, Kettlebells for Mommies (www.kettlebellsformommies.com) is currently under construction and is built using MIVA Merchant 5.5.